In latest ad, Beth Harwell equates Republican rivals in race for governor to children

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Republican gubernatorial candidates Diane Black, Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell and Bill Lee debate one another at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville on June 20, 2018. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Republican GOP Candidates Beth Harwell and Bill Lee are introduced to the crowd for the debate series at the Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Republican GOP Candidate Diane Black prepares her notes at the start of the debate series at the Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Republican GOP Candidate Randy Boyd is introduced to the crowd for the debate series at the Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Lacy Atkins / The Tennessean

Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, left, talks with gubernatorial candidate and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018. Russell served as moderator of the forum at The Peabody Hotel. The forum was sponsored by The Commercial Appeal and the Tennessee Bar Association. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, left, talks with gubernatorial candidate and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018. Russell served as moderator of the forum at The Peabody Hotel. The forum was sponsored by The Commercial Appeal and the Tennessee Bar Association. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, left, talks with gubernatorial candidate and House Speaker Beth Harwell during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018. Russell served as moderator of the forum at The Peabody Hotel. The forum was sponsored by The Commercial Appeal and the Tennessee Bar Association. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Gubernatorial candidate and House Speaker Beth Harwell speaks during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018, at The Peabody Hotel. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, a Knoxville entrepreneur and former state economic development commissioner, speaks during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018, at The Peabody Hotel. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, a Knoxville entrepreneur and former state economic development commissioner, speaks during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018, at The Peabody Hotel. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Gubernatorial candidate and former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, right, speaks with Mark Russell, executive editor of The Commercial Appeal, during a forum that included four of the six major gubernatorial candidates June 14, 2018. Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Beth Harwell answers a question during the Leadership Tennessee's Gubernatorial Forum at Lipscomb University May 15, 2018 in Nashville. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd answers a question during the Leadership Tennessee's Gubernatorial Forum at Lipscomb University May 15, 2018 in Nashville. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Tennessee gubernatorial candidate Craig Fitzhughl listens to a question during the Leadership Tennessee's Gubernatorial Forum at Lipscomb University May 15, 2018 in Nashville. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

House Speaker Beth Harwell is set to join the fray of Republican gubernatorial candidates criticizing their opponents in television ads.

On Thursday, Harwell's campaign will launch a new ad, dubbed "Adult in the Room", which features three young children dressed up as the other candidates in the GOP race — U.S. Rep. Diane Black, Knoxville entrepreneur Randy Boyd and Williamson County businessman Bill Lee.

"You have a choice for governor," a narrator says in the 30-second ad. "Behind all the fighting and posturing, Diane Black, Randy Boyd and Bill Lee only offer political promises."

Harwell appears in the ad, saying she is the only candidate in the race offering "proven results" instead of "political promises."

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House Speaker Beth Harwell gavels in the joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly before Gov. Bill Haslam delivers his State of the State address at the Tennessee state Capitol on Jan. 29, 2018, in Nashville. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Republican gubernatorial candidate Beth Harwell speaks at a candidate forum at Lipscomb University's Allen Arena on May 15, 2018, in Nashville. Leadership Tennessee was the presenting sponsor of the forum. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally hugs House Speaker Beth Harwell as former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh stands by during Sen. Douglas Henry's visitation at the state Capitol Legislative Library on March 9, 2017. Shelley Mays / The Tennessean

Rep. Beth Harwell, the newly elected House Republican nominee for speaker by the State House Republican Caucus, talks with the media with Rep. Glen Casada, right, at the AT&T building in Nashville on Nov. 18, 2010. Sanford Myers/The Tennessean

Rep. Beth Harwell, left, laughs with supporter Julie Howell, a member of the Nashville Republican Women's Club, after the State House Republican Caucus elected her as the House Republican nominee for speaker at the AT&T building in Nashville on Nov. 18, 2010. Sanford Myers/The Tennessean

Nashville Rep. Beth Harwell is sworn in by Justice Gary Wade as the first female House speaker in the legislature's history. The vote put the Republicans in control of the state legislature. Larry McCormack/Tennessean

With former Speaker Kent Williams behind her, Nashville Rep. Beth Harwell speaks to the House chamber after she was voted in as the first female House speaker in the legislature's history. The vote put the Republicans in control of the state legislature. Larry McCormack/Tennessean

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam announces his plan for putting a constitutional amendment before voters about the way judges are selected at a news conference at the state Capitol in Nashville on Jan. 25, 2012. The proposal is supported by Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, right, and House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville. Erik Schelzig/AP

Beth Harwell is congratulated by a well-wisher after the first day of the legislative session at the Tennessee state Capitol on Jan. 8, 2013, in Nashville. Harwell was named again to be speaker of the house. Dipti Vaidya/The Tennessean

Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean talk with each other before making an announcement that UBS is expanding its operations in Nashville at the state Capitol on Aug. 28, 2013, in Nashville. George Walker IV / The Tennessean

House Speaker Beth Harwell speaks during a news conference at the Right Women Right Now conference held by the Republican State Leadership Committee on Legislative Plaza on Sept. 10, 2013, in Nashville. Sanford Myers / The Tennessean

House Speaker Beth Harwell, middle, listens during a news conference at the Right Women Right Now conference by the Republican State Leadership Committee on Legislative Plaza on Sept. 10, 2013, in Nashville. Sanford Myers / The Tennessean

Balancing the state budget is constitutionally mandated and there are no sanctuary cities in Tennessee.

Harwell's claim about lowering taxes is partially true, given that she served as speaker when lawmakers approved a phase out of the Hall Income Tax, eliminated the inheritance tax and gift tax. But in 2017 Harwell also voted in favor of a controversial proposal to increase the state's tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, which also cut the tax on food.

Harwell's latest ad is her first in which she goes on the offensive against her opponents. Black and Boyd have been critical of one another in their own TV ads while Lee has said he would not air negative ads against his opponents.

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The ad from Harwell comes after she has shown a lackluster performance in terms of fundraising, spending and overall name recognition compared to her opponents, who have released a bevy of ads in the lead up to the Aug. 2 primary.